Strange New Day

[Lidija Ahlgren]

As the sun rose in the land of the fire dragon it's gentle rays passed through the windows of Castle Dreadnought and landed upon the queens face. The warm rays on her fair skin caused her to stir gently, provoking only the slightest grimace as she moved. The wounds she suffered at the hands of the death were plentiful but they were not mortal oddly enough but she could still feel them to this day. She wondered if perhaps he was not aiming to claim her life but Samael's alone. It seemed odd that his vengeance would not be of the exact same nature of the wounds inflicted upon him. Perhaps they were lucky in the fact that Vlad knew little of the importance she held. The pains in her body were more of a ghost, her mind tricking her into believing she still suffered as she once did. Once she became oriented with her surroundings, she yawned loudly and looked around.

Much about her life had changed since the day they killed death himself. She was a queen now, much to her confusion, of the fire dragons. The very being she used to hate with every fiber of her soul had become part of her. Understanding what made them dangerous though somehow managed to give her insight into how other people might see them. Even in human guise they were intimidating knowing that such raw destruction could be unleased at any time. Pulling the bedding around herself, she rose slowly and moved towards the window to look out over their territory. The view from the window was fabulous, one could see clear to the dark woods themselves who's pass was nestled between two mountains. Cleaning up the mess they made had taken a toll on both her and Samael. Every time she used her new power she felt this strange wave of emotions she could not decipher.

Something was changing but she could not figure out what it was. The man that stood beside her was becoming more concerned for their safety every day. While the sentiment was welcomed, it seemed that there were days where he was consumed by his desire to protect his new kingdom. Call it instinct but she was somewhat unsure that his concerns were entirely warranted. Death was wherever he belonged, the vampire home was shattered and the humans now had the borders under control. For once they were held in check, despite the new threat looming on the horizon. In this war terrible prices were paid to bring about it's conclusion, one of them being the lich plague. Her mind drifted to the afflicted as she hoped that they might find some sort of cure to reverse what was done to them.

Yet even with all of that darkening her mind, she could not help but smile as she stood there in nothing but a blanket. She felt at peace here in their chambers, with her life and she would not have changed a single event. Once an inferno, she had become something much more tempered and controlled. With the world hanging in a state of uncertainty right now, she wished to secure the kingdoms future. That did not only mean it's defenses, but it's blood line as well. Yet whatever was happening inside of her seemed resistant to the attempt to produce an heir. Even with her mighty powers, the healing process was ongoing even after all these years. Finally that smile turned to a look of concern, maybe even sorrow as she thought about it all. It was too much for one person to take in all at once but she had no choice. Soon she would be barraged from all sides by envoys, lords and all manner of people seeking audience with them.

"When one door closes.." she said softly to the wind.

[Samael]

He stood over the small, roaring waterfall that fell into a small pit below. The water was hot enough to boil the flesh off of a regular human, but to Samael, it felt great against his hardened flesh as he leaned forward and held himself in place as the water splashed against his rippling muscles, and purged the dirt from every crevice of his body. The entrance to the waterfall was attached to their bedroom, and the waterfall, itself came from a geyser within the volcano that never broke soil, and instead, was used made into an artificial waterfall within their castle. Many rooms within Castle Dreadnought had these, even in the soldier barracks, where the men and women dragons bathed together. As Samael backed away from the waterfall, he grabbed a cloth and wrapped his torso with it as he exited from the cave. The falling magma in the middle of their quarters was another addition Samael added, more so in a display of power than anything. Looking out at the balcony, he saw her and approached her quietly as he also overlooked the view of the land.


The end of the Dov-Diil War brought about great celebration across the Kingdom. Although many Fire Dragons lamented in the war ending, they none the less shared in the celebrations brought on by their pacifistic relative, the Ice Clan. Although reconstruction brought about hefty growths in finance for the first year, Samael’s agreement to help restore the lands of Arnul allowed him to open economic ventures into his Kingdom for the other nations. Although governed by strict Draconic Code, many beings found their way into Balfaer’s regions to either train with the Fire Clan, mine ore with the Earth Clan, study the magic arts with the Ice Clan, or simply act on diplomatic ventures with the Air Clan. As promised in their agreements, each Clan were free to govern themselves as they saw fit, but Samael always ensured that his people were happy, and well protected. He would not stand for lawlessness within his land, and after the war, saw to purging all criminals from his prisons, one by one. Despite his barbarism, the Hun’Drog weeded out the truly innocent among the prisoners, and any crimes committed while incarcerated were forgiven and he was set free. Though, there were few that were “truly” innocent and none that could hide the truth from their King’s eye.

“The heavens draw envy of the paradise we have made here on Yalanze,” he boasted to his Queen as he stood at her side, “soon, we’ll draw witness to a revisit to Nergal’s death once again by my blade. Only this time, I would see your blade also assist in ending the tyrant’s life. “ The war brought unexpected enemies back from beyond, and part of Vlad’s downfall, was bringing such a vile creature as Nergal back from the grave. In his past life, he was already a vile and ruthless serpent, and now his venom strikes in quite a different way, thanks to Death, himself and a demon that got his just desserts in the end, when he tried to steal Samael’s godly power, only to have it obliterate his being. Vlad received answer from the universe in the form of his own decimation at Samael’s hands, when he gravely injured Lidija. What of it she remembered, Samael did not know, but he gave a great deal of his own essence to save her in the end, nearly passing all of his power into her. It saved her, but it gave her more of a connection to Samael than ever before.

He moved behind Lidija and wrapped his arms around her. “Though I could instantly know where your mind drifts, I always enjoy how you describe them to me when you tell me.” He said to her, his way of inquiring what was on her mind.

[Lidija Ahlgren]

His voice echoed from behind and it was the only sound that seemed to matter as the rest was drowned out by it. To feel as she did for him was something would never be able to express. Staring out into the kingdom she smiled softly without turning around to face him. It was beautiful indeed but part of her felt the guilt that came from being one of those who survived everything. Such a beautiful place created upon the deaths of many who would never see what their deeds had accomplished. Even in this momentary peace, she had a new found hatred for everything undead. Yet this time she did not allow such a feeling to overpower her reason. She remained focused on the future they were trying to create here for those they held dearest to them. "All envy the vast treasures of the dragon hordes, not just the heavens. Never did I think I would stand here and gaze upon such wonders." she said.

Her smaller form shuddered slightly as his arms found their place around her. When they touched the feeling of their energies meeting often made her shiver. It was a delightful feeling, as if she was being completed and filled with new energy all over again. Once more she smiled as she leaned against him with that nearly inaudible sigh of being content in the moment. It was the little moments like this that made her over look the feelings that kept trying to warn her that something was wrong. There was a pause as she considered what she would say to him in reply to his questions. She did not know where to begin to voice her concerns as they were mainly about this power. Through their bond she now possessed a large portion of the power that fueled him, that drove him to his new obsession. She worried that she too might become tainted by it's essence and become something she no longer recognized.

"Before I wanted nothing more to tear all of this down. It is hard to forget the fires of hatred that burned in my breast. Yet now I stand over all of it, stronger than ever before, and I am burdened by it. Why do I deserve to have such things placed at my feet? What if I am consumed by it all and destroyed in the end?" she asked. This was not the first time that she questioned how she survived, how the power might affect her. Her confidence in ruling over their people waivered from time to time as she felt more human than dragon some days. Perhaps that was why she was able to work out the deals they had with the Kingdom of Mythregal. Of course through clever means, he was able to distract her with his attentions, but she knew she could not accept this gift at face value. There was always a cost and she was wondering when they would pay it for their victory in Sylthanus.

"Do you think it fair punishment for what I have done? I can still feel what he has done to me.." she said aloud suddenly. Her vengeance destroyed even those who were guilty of no crime. Her hand drifted to her stomach as she felt the hooks of death deep within her very being. It seemed that she had much more on her mind than she realized. She wished Isolde was here, she enjoyed her company and thoughts on such things.

[Samael]

It was not easy for Lidija to adjust to this sort of life, Samael knew. Although they would fight side by side in any future battle, they were now the Monarchs of the dragons of Balfaer. Even so, Samael had known the disdain in some of his peoples hearts for not just marrying a halfbreed, but a killer of their kind. Those that were bold with such tongue, often found their King’s wrath was not limited to the undead, and were often finding mercy from their Queen, the very person they were quick to call a killer, saving them from perishing forever by her husband’s blade. Though a warrior, she retained all of the care, and compassion that Samael had not seen in others before his awakening in Yalanze. Often, he assumed many of her emotions, that appeared alien to Samael, were from her human half, and to her regard, he saw how they made her strong enough to be Queen. She understood humanity, better than what Samael was capable of presently understanding, and it helped bring closer relations to other nations that were needed.

Such times had long passed, as many who once saw a dragonslayer, now saw a trusted and honored Queen, as her might and worth had greatly been proven many times since before the roars of the dragons, as Samael and her often sparred in the many arenas erected throughout Balfaer. In many ways, each of their trials of combat often saw them nearly kill one another, but that was also part of their thrill. There were many ways, they learned, to tangle their bodies together to bring about a stimulation that most did not realize. Often, Samael reveled in being locked in combat with his Queen, fist against hardened, Aegis-like muscle and locked against one another with titanic strength that could frighten the other gods. Though, as mighty as she was, Samael always knew that the humanity in her would always allow the guilt within her to rise like the fire within. He turned to her as she asked if she was being punished for the innocent deaths in her past, and placed a warm hand upon her cheek. “Though it was your hand, it was Corvin the mastermind,” he spoke softly, as he had many times before and with great patience, “he is responsible for the lives lost in what has come to be, and we honor them each day through what we do for the people now.”

Holding out his hand, fire began to form within his palm, but then the flames turned blue, as ice fused with flame in his palm, before a gust of wind and pebbles from the floor lifted into his hand too, “With our power, we can accomplish anything,” he said again, but this time, the ball of concentrated elements in his hand suddenly shifted to small sparks of electricity, “through us, we can not just create a new life, but we can create new beginnings. Through us, the four clans can eventually become five. New breeds are possible through us, and through our power. As great as our power is, we cannot change our past, but look to the dawn of a brighter future. We have our kingdom, if we wanted, we could have a child as well. You have spent many nights with guilty conscience. Let us see conscience cleansed through new life.”